Mowers wrote:Stick to a simple diplomatic model, a more basic model will give better results most of them. As much as I love paradox's work, Paradox's diplomatic model doesn't really work and is overly complex.

I don't know if I agree with you that Paradox's diplomatic model was overly complex, but I do agree it doesn't work.

I don't automatically favor complexity for complexity's sake, but I do feel the diplomatic model should be sufficiently complex. Too much simplicity may lead to an overly rigid and insipid system. I have faith that AGEOD will try to make the simplest model that still offers players interesting choices and yields realistic results within the framework of historical plausibility (yeah, I'm an idealist sometimes ).

VoN's diplomacy may be more or less complex than Paradox's. In some respects it may be more complex than Paradox's, perhaps less in others. I will guess (guess being the operative word), though, that there will be a net increase in complexity. I'm guessing this complexity will arise in there being more factors affecting international relations and how nations behave on the world stage. Bear in mind, my crystal ball is on the fritz, so anybody's guess (aside from the VoN dev and beta team's, who have a bit of an inside edge :niark is as good as mine.

Speaking about diplomacy complexity... I hope treaties are like those in Diplomacy (Paradox). I liked the various types of treaty, how everything was drag-and-drop, and how the game would remind you if you were doing something illegal. Still, the EU3 model was easier to see and harder to mess up.

Mr Bill wrote:I don't know if I agree with you that Paradox's diplomatic model was overly complex, but I do agree it doesn't work.

I don't automatically favor complexity for complexity's sake, but I do feel the diplomatic model should be sufficiently complex. Too much simplicity may lead to an overly rigid and insipid system. I have faith that AGEOD will try to make the simplest model that still offers players interesting choices and yields realistic results within the framework of historical plausibility (yeah, I'm an idealist sometimes ).

VoN's diplomacy may be more or less complex than Paradox's. In some respects it may be more complex than Paradox's, perhaps less in others. I will guess (guess being the operative word), though, that there will be a net increase in complexity. I'm guessing this complexity will arise in there being more factors affecting international relations and how nations behave on the world stage. Bear in mind, my crystal ball is on the fritz, so anybody's guess (aside from the VoN dev and beta team's, who have a bit of an inside edge :niark is as good as mine.

On another note...VoN's official forums have opened up. w00t!

So why doesn't it work? At a base level the model doesn't work, and it doesnt work because it's almost impossible to program an AI diplomatic model to deal with so many factors. So whilst I like having all the shiny buttons and wide range of options it is a model that is inherantly not going to work.

So what is the answer? Create a model that does work and build upwards. Unfortunately that probably means a rigid system but something that works will always be better than something that does not work after the first couple of turns.

PhilThib wrote:But we want to hear players' wishes first, to see if we missed stuff or if there are useless features.

Please, please, please make the game compatible with high resolutions (ie, 2560x1600 etc). Nothing worse than seeing beautiful game artwork and carefully crafted font faces distorted due to res differences.

So many great ideas in one thread, the deadline approaches way too slowly for my tastes.

I have nothing new to add. I just wanted to reiterate my pleasure in seeing this game being released this year. AGEod has become my new company of choice. Turn-based games, decent prices, and a commitment to excellently researched war games that don't bog down my computer with cd protection schemes and forcing me to use the cd in the drive to play a game - all these points make AGEod my company of choice.

Still on schedule, meaning several months after Victoria II, as planed ... I'm currently reworking some windows and adding new ones too. Graphical User Interface creation is always a long process if you want the result to look good while being practical.

Some of our volunteers are in the midst of building the roster of generals and admirals for Spain. That is rather interesting...

Hofstadter's Law: "It always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter's law."

Not exactly, we started to work on another "big" project which stopped in 2005 because the publisher cancelled it, and shifted ressources to BOA (which was released early 2006). The VGN project started immediately afterwards, but was constantly delayed as we released other titles (AACW, NCP, WIA, ROP) almost every year...

Nevertheless, because all these games work on the AGE engine, each individual game contributed to the final development and is a precious stone brought to the VGN building...

PhilThib wrote:Not exactly, we started to work on another "big" project which stopped in 2005 because the publisher cancelled it, and shifted ressources to BOA (which was released early 2006). The VGN project started immediately afterwards, but was constantly delayed as we released other titles (AACW, NCP, WIA, ROP) almost every year...

Nevertheless, because all these games work on the AGE engine, each individual game contributed to the final development and is a precious stone brought to the VGN building...

I remember that Rome game you did years ago, though I have since forgotten the name of it.

Ever consider returing to the ancient world using the AGE engine?

Might be fun to run about as Celts or Persians clobbering Greeks and Romans.

Yeap, that was the name. Great, great idea which did not quite work well. It reminded me of an old boardgame, Republic of Rome. It seems Paradox borrowed more than a few elements and put it into EU - Rome, but that one did not work well either. Maybe it's Phillip's turn again?

I was in the beta group and still have the CD Antik (Phillip) sent me. It has a sort of sentimental value to me but I will sell it for a thousand dollars if someone wants it.

Great work, guys. I've only been messing with this for a couple days, but it's already an obvious classic on the order of AACW. I really like the strong economic element; reminds me of my favorite game of this era from a long time ago: Imperialism. I guess I'm showing my age.

I downloaded the Pride of Nations Demo earlier in the week, and my first reaction is that I would like to see a bit more thought given to the presentation of the tutorial.

This is likely in effect to be the first insight that someone thinking of playing the game will get of how it plays, and to be quite honest the current format it doesn't do the game any favours.

I struggled through the first two tutorials without really being inspired, and found that by the end of the second I was just clicking buttons and my brain had gone into zombie mode. I wasn't taking anything in at all.

I would have preferred something that demonstrated what the game was like to play. Other games I've played have tutorials that are integral to a mini-campaign scenario, so that its more like a walkthrough of actual game play rather than a mechanic's handbook.

I know most people only go through the tutorial once, but it is a very important event especially in a demo when one is trying to persuade the player to buy the full game.

Like, to start with, let me say what a wonderful masterpiece you've created! Thank you, AGEod, somuch for creating a beautiful, fascinating, intricate and challenging work of art among strategy games! The Victorian era is one of my favorites, and I think that my husband and I will be spending a lot of time with this one!

There's so much more I could say, but I don't have time, because I want to hurry back to exploring this beautiful, amazing game!

Aphrodite Mae wrote:Dixicrat and I have downloaded the demo, and all I can say is "Wow!"

...OK, actually, I can say more than that.

Like, to start with, let me say what a wonderful masterpiece you've created! Thank you, AGEod, somuch for creating a beautiful, fascinating, intricate and challenging work of art among strategy games! The Victorian era is one of my favorites, and I think that my husband and I will be spending a lot of time with this one!

There's so much more I could say, but I don't have time, because I want to hurry back to exploring this beautiful, amazing game!

Merci Beaucoup, AGEod!

Hi Aphrodite,

nice to see you back.I can only remind that PON is wonderful even playing the Ottomans means to be funny. I tried some cheating and now saw that my overflow on ressources was reduced due to corruption.

But all in all it means fun...

greetings

Hohenlohe

R.I.P. Henry D.

In Remembrance of my Granduncle Hans Weber, a Hungaro-German Soldier,served in Austro-Hungarian Forces during WWI,war prisoner, missed in Sibiria 1918...